40+ Ways to Reduce Turnover & Become a Top Employer

Are you looking for ways to reduce turnover? Employee turnover is running rampant in most organizations today. As retention experts, we continue to compile effective strategies for reducing turnover. Here’s a list of suggestions to consider in order to become a more attractive, or M.A.G.N.E.T., employer.

Management effectiveness

Organizational strategies

1. Implement (or reinstate) a management/supervisor training
2. Conduct self-assessments for all leaders
3. Ensure managers and supervisors have the resources they need to be successful
4. Conduct employee surveys quarterly to determine why people are really leaving

Manager strategies

5. Provide frequent feedback to all staff
6. Appreciate any job well done – even if it’s an employee’s job
7. MBWA (Manage by Walking Around) instead of sitting behind desk
8. Integrate team-building activities into meetings
9. Schedule one-on-one check-in meetings with staff regularly

Attraction and recruiting

Employer brand & attractiveness

10. Ensure retention is top priority – otherwise recruiting efforts are a band-aid
11. Maintain strong employer brand in city/community
12. Check Glassdoor.com for reviews and improve upon what you can
13. Pay hourly staff weekly and offer immediate access to accrued pay
14. Create “Selling Points” document highlighting reasons to work for your company

Recruitment

15. Ask marketing to write attractive job descriptions and remove jargon
16. Text applicants if calls and voicemails are not returned
17. Move candidates through the application process more quickly
18. Use an effective Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
19. Implement valid hiring assessments
20. Contact new hires prior to orientation to discuss expectations and share excitement
21. Offer job shadowing for a more realistic job preview

Guidance upon entry

The new day one

22. Ensure new hires feel welcome on day one with signage, lunch, welcome bags, favorite snacks, etc.
23. Provide a list of common industry/organizational jargon and acronyms
24. Ensure tour includes history, culture, and VIPs
25. Gather feedback from new hires about their orientation experience to continue improvements

Onboarding

26. Ensure handbook/policy language reflects intended culture and is jargon-free
27. Offer additional onboarding for those new to your industry
28. Provide new hires with a mentor for answering questions in first month
29. Ask within 3 days if new hires have everything they need
30. Schedule 30/60/90-day check-ins with new hires
31. Train managers on onboarding tactics to ensure new hires are well-trained

New staffing models

Scheduling changes & flexibility

32. Adjust shift start/end times to align with workforce needs
33. Offer more shift length options (12, 10, 8, 6, 4 hours)
34. Base shift/holiday preferences on performance, not seniority

Broader advancement opportunities

35. Create competency levels (1, 2, 3) to allow employee promotions within their current roles
36. Make list of education scholarships/grants available in your area (Rotary, Kiwanis, nursing schools, etc.)
37. Assign mentorship (in both directions), special projects, cross-training and stretch assignments

Empowered retention champions

38. Before hiring a new recruiter, consider hiring a retention director
39. Assign “Culture Keepers” or “Employee Ambassadors”

Trust through transparency

40. Ensure managers can explain why policies exists
41. Stop allowing seasoned workers to “eat their young”
42. Reinstate/revamp a newsletter
43. Hold staff meetings in each department
44. Hold town hall meetings inviting all staff

To learn more ways to reduce turnover, check out this infographic: “6 Stats That Speak to Employee Retention.”